Car Travel with Handgun

s rosenthal · 05-03-2008, 02:14 PM

Travelling from SC to NJ and going thru NC, VA, MD, DE, PA and CT and the big kahoona NY and NYC with a thought to have handgun unloaded locked in case in trunk of car. Any hints on regs (crazier than a quilt being made by a drunken old maid) or am I better off leaving the handgun back home in handgun friendly SC?

SwedeSteve · 05-03-2008, 02:34 PM

You would need to read all the state's handgun regs. If it were me, I'd leave it home!

Capt'n Mil Coll · 05-03-2008, 11:21 PM

Unloaded locked in trunk is good. Only problem is some states require you lock the ammo with the firearm some say you cant lock the ammo with the firearm.

SwedeSteve · 05-04-2008, 07:02 AM

Yep-Like I said, you'll have to read their regs online.

rfc357 · 05-04-2008, 09:16 AM

Ask a lawyer.

TXplt · 05-04-2008, 03:54 PM

Here are a couple of useful links:

http://www.handgunlaw.us/

Pack-N-Go Carry Concealed Trip Planner

PA, NC, VA relatively sane and OK with or without CHL permit; better if you have CHL obviously. You can find reciprocity on their websites (attorney general for PA) if you hold a CHL--PA will also issue a non-resident CHL (google Centre County PA to get to the sheriff's website) based on your state issued CHL and it is extremely user friendly and a good deal as well ($26. and 3 weeks mailbox to mailbox). DE I don't know, but they honor my FL CHL. MD bad. NY/NYC/NJ very bad. You can find the U.S. code for safe and lawful intrastate travel (locked in the trunk, unloaded, ammo separate from firearm) on the handgunlaw site under car/RV travel--you might want to print this out in case you get into trouble--not all the cops you encounter may know it exists. The "communist" gun control states -- NJ,MD,NY-- may be tough to deal with--NJ is bad and the "traveling" needs to be direct point to point with no side trips. Also, NJ used to ban some types of ammo. Basically, the only way the law is reasonable in these states is if you have the "protection" of being a criminal

. Whether or not you leave the pistol at home depends on your risk assessment of how much you believe you need the firearm vice the risks of hassle by the states if you get pulled over. DON'T consent to any searches (this is usually sage advice for any situation except entering or leaving the country).

Good luck. When I travel from PA to NJ I usually leave my guns in PA (i.e. in a "normal" state).

05-03-2008, 02:14 PM	#1
s rosenthal Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 50	Car Travel with Handgun Travelling from SC to NJ and going thru NC, VA, MD, DE, PA and CT and the big kahoona NY and NYC with a thought to have handgun unloaded locked in case in trunk of car. Any hints on regs (crazier than a quilt being made by a drunken old maid) or am I better off leaving the handgun back home in handgun friendly SC?

05-03-2008, 02:34 PM	#2
SwedeSteve Thor's Hammer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alaska Posts: 10,383 Images: 1	You would need to read all the state's handgun regs. If it were me, I'd leave it home! __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

05-03-2008, 11:21 PM	#3
Capt'n Mil Coll Military Rifle Collector Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Right behind you. -NRA Member- Posts: 2,301 Images: 12	Unloaded locked in trunk is good. Only problem is some states require you lock the ammo with the firearm some say you cant lock the ammo with the firearm. __________________ Let's light this fuse and see what happens!

05-04-2008, 07:02 AM	#4
SwedeSteve Thor's Hammer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alaska Posts: 10,383 Images: 1	Yep-Like I said, you'll have to read their regs online. __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

05-04-2008, 09:16 AM	#5
rfc357 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 741	Ask a lawyer. __________________ Certified rifle and pistol instructor

05-04-2008, 03:54 PM	#6
TXplt Lost in the Ozone Again Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 2,834 Images: 4 Blog Entries: 2	Here are a couple of useful links: http://www.handgunlaw.us/ Pack-N-Go Carry Concealed Trip Planner PA, NC, VA relatively sane and OK with or without CHL permit; better if you have CHL obviously. You can find reciprocity on their websites (attorney general for PA) if you hold a CHL--PA will also issue a non-resident CHL (google Centre County PA to get to the sheriff's website) based on your state issued CHL and it is extremely user friendly and a good deal as well ($26. and 3 weeks mailbox to mailbox). DE I don't know, but they honor my FL CHL. MD bad. NY/NYC/NJ very bad. You can find the U.S. code for safe and lawful intrastate travel (locked in the trunk, unloaded, ammo separate from firearm) on the handgunlaw site under car/RV travel--you might want to print this out in case you get into trouble--not all the cops you encounter may know it exists. The "communist" gun control states -- NJ,MD,NY-- may be tough to deal with--NJ is bad and the "traveling" needs to be direct point to point with no side trips. Also, NJ used to ban some types of ammo. Basically, the only way the law is reasonable in these states is if you have the "protection" of being a criminal . Whether or not you leave the pistol at home depends on your risk assessment of how much you believe you need the firearm vice the risks of hassle by the states if you get pulled over. DON'T consent to any searches (this is usually sage advice for any situation except entering or leaving the country). Good luck. When I travel from PA to NJ I usually leave my guns in PA (i.e. in a "normal" state). __________________ Old fighter pilots never die.....They just wind up in Texas Last edited by TXplt; 05-04-2008 at 03:57 PM.